Coin dispenser



June 14, 1966 v, MICKELSON 3,255,767

COIN DISPENSER Filed NOV. 2, 1964 INVENTOR JOHN V. MICKELSON (1/ M$1.64. ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,255,767 CUIN DISPENSERJohn V. Michelson, 13805 Dawson St., Garden Grove, Calif. Filed Nov. 2,1964, S421. No. 408,179

3 Claims. (Cl. 1336) This invention relates to a coin dispenser and moreparticularly to a container adapted for mounting in a vehicle so as tostore and readily dispense coins used in parking meters.

Congestion in downtown municipalities has caused the wide spreadadoption of parking meters. This in turn creates a need for eachmotorist to have a supply of pennies, nickels and dimes available. Suchchange is also require at toll stations for roads and bridges.

An object of the present invention is to provide a container whichstores and readily dispenses coins for use in parking meters.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coin dispenser which maybe easily attached or removed from the inside of an automobile.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved coindispenser which is economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description, reference being made to the annexeddrawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective of a coin dispenser in which the presentinvention is embodied.

FIGURE 2 is a cross section taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a section similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the plunger in alowermost position.

FIGURE 4 is a section similar to FIG. 2 but showing the plunger in anejecting position and the coin dispenser is shown in relationship to apersons hand.

With reference to the drawings, a coin dispenser is shown in FIG. 1having a support arm 12. A magnet 14-is fixed to one end of the supportarm and is adapted to cling to the dashboard or other metallic portionswithin an automobile. Other attaching means such as a small suction cup,not shown, could be used in place of the magnet 14 for fastening thesupport arm of the coin dispenser to nonmetallic materials such asglass. Thus,

I one end of the support arm will readily adhere to the interior surfaceof an automobile.

A tubular casing 16 is fixed to the end of the support arm 12 oppositethe magnet 14. As shown in FIG. 2, the tubular casing is positioned sothat its longitudinal axis 18 is inclined relative to the vertical axis20 by an angle of inclination 22. This angle of inclination must belarge enough so that the gravitational force acting upon a coin 24overcomes frictional resistance and causes the coin to slideperpendicular to the longitudinal axis 18. Such would occur when thetangent function of the angle of inclination is greater than thefriction factor between coins. The angle 22 should not be so great as tocause the coins to overturn. An angle of thirty degrees has been foundto be satisfactory.

The tubular casing 16 has a cylindrical coin storage chamber 26coaxially aligned within and having a bore diameter suflicient toreceive the largest diameter of coin to be held. A coin slot 28 isprovided in the tubular casing transversely of the longitudinal axis 18and facing downwardly normal thereto. A top panel 30 is located at theupper end of the tubular casing to enclose the coin storage chamber. Thebottom of the chamber is defined by a panel 32 fixed to the tubularcasing and having an opening 34 provided therein.

An ejection plunger 36 having a head portion 38 fits within the coinstorage chamber 26 for supporting coins 3,255,767 Patented June 14, 1966 24. A stem portion 40 is fixed to the head portion and extendsoutwardly from the chamber through the opening 34. The weight of coins24 tend to force the plunger downward to the lowermost position, asshown in FIG. 3, where the head portion 38 is retained by the bottompanel 32. The plunger may be elevated by lifting upward on the stemportion as shown in FIG. 4. The coin dispenser 10 is of a size whereby afinger 42 of a persons hand 44 may contact the stern portion 40 of theejection plunger 36 and upon elevating the plunger, a coin 24 dischargedfrom the coin slot 28 will fall into the palm 46 of the hand.

In operation, the coin dispenser 10 is attached to the interior surfaceof an automobile by magnetic attraction of the magnet 14. The surface towhich the magnet is attached should be substantially perpendicular sothat the tubular casing 16 is positioned at the proper angle ofinclination 22. However, dispensers could be made for attachment toinclined surfaces by adjusting the angle between the face of the magnetand the longitudinal axis 18 of the tubular casing 16.

Coins 24 are fed through the coin slot 28 in the manner in which a piggybank is filled. The weight of the coins force the plunger head portion38 to the bottom of the storage chamber 26, as shown in FIG. 3. Thecoins are stacked upon the plunger head portion and remain in such aposition until they are needed. When it is desired to eject a coin, ahand 44 may be extended, as shown in FIG. 4, so that the finger 42contacts the stem portion 40 of the ejection plunger 36. By gentlyraising the hand, the coins are elevated within the storage chamber, asshown in FIG. 2. When the top coin comes into alignment with the coinslot 28, it slides downward through the slot, as shown in FIG. 4, andfalls into the palm of the hand. This procedure is repeated until thedesired number of coins are obtained. Then, the stem portion is releasedand the ejection plunger drops to the bottom of the storage chamber.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and,since certain changes may be made in the above construction anddifferent embodiments of the invention could be made without departingfrom the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in theabove description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as. illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A coin dispenser comprising a tubular casing having a coaxiallyaligned coin storage chamber within and a coin slot extendingtransversely of the casing, an ejection plunger with a head portionfitting inside the chamber for supporting a stack of coins and a stemportion extending outwardly from the casing for elevating said stack ofcoins, and means mounting said casing in position with the longitudinalaxis of said chamber inclined to the vertical axis by an angle having atrigonometric tangent function greater than the friction factor betweencoins and with said coin slot facing downward, said coin dispenser beingof a size whereby a finger tip of a persons hand may contact the stemportiton of the ejection plunger and upon elevating the plunger, 2. coinbrought into alignment with said coin slot will slide downwardlytherefrom by gravitational force and fall into the palm of the hand.

2. A coin dispenser, as described in claim 1, wherein said meansmounting said casing includes a support arm fixed to the casing, andattaching means fastened to the support arm providing yieldableadherence with a supporting surface.

3. A coin dispenser comprising a casing having a cylindrical coinstorage chamber positioned within and a coin discharge slot alignedtransversely of the chamber with a length equal to the diameter of thechamber, an ejection plunger slidably fitting within the coin chamberfor elevating coins to the coin discharge slot and having a stem portionextending outwardly from the casing for operating said plunger, asupport arm fixed to the casing for positioning said casing so that thelongitudinal axis of said chamber is inclined to the vertical axis by anangle having a trigonometric tangent function greater than the frictionfactor between coins, and a magnet fastened to said support arm forattaching said coin dispenser to an interior surface of a vehicle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS LOUIS J. DEMBO,Primary Examiner.

S. H. TOLLBERG, Assistant Examiner.

1. A COIN DISPENSER COMPRISING A TUBULAR CASING HAVING A COAXIALLY ALIGNED COIN STORAGE CHAMBER WITHIN AND A COIN SLOT EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE CASING, AN EJECTION PLUNGER WITH AHEAD PORTION FITTING INSIDE THE CHAMBER FOR SUPPORTING A STACK OF COINS AND A STEM PORTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE CASING FOR ELEVATING SAID STACK OF COINS, AND MEANS MOUNTING SAID CASING IN POSITION WITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CHAMBER INCLINED TO THE VERTICAL AXIS BY AN ANGLE HAVING A TRIGONOMETRIC TANGENT FUNCTION GREATER THAN THE FRICTION FACTOR BETWEEN COINS AND WITH SAID COIN SLOT FACING DOWNWARD, SAID COIN DISPENSER BEING OF A SIZE WHEREBY A FINGER TIP OF A PERSON''S HAND MAY CONTACT THE STEM PORTION OF THE EJECTION PLUNGER AND UPON ELEVATING THE PLUNGER, A COIN BROUGHT INTO ALIGNMENT WITH SAID COIN SLOT WILL SLIDE DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM BY GRAVITIONAL FORCE AND FALL INTO THE PALM OF THE HAND. 